What does Eira mean?
Eira is the Welsh word for “snow.”
What does Elin mean?
Elin is the Welsh form of Helen, “light” or “torch.”
Eira vs Elin
Which is more popular?
Eira is more popular than Elin today: about 116 US babies were given the name Eira in 2025, compared with 53 named Elin.
| Eira | Elin | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Snow | Light |
| Origin | Welsh | Welsh |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | AY-rah | EL-in |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1979 | 1893 |
| Peak year | 2025 (116) | 2011 (428) |
| In 2025 | 116 | 53 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Eira
Elin
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Eira | Elin |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 474 | 553 |
| 2010s | 321 | 3,032 |
| 2000s | 51 | 369 |
| 1990s | 11 | 143 |
| 1980s | 16 | 145 |
| 1970s | 5 | 111 |
| 1960s | 0 | 109 |
| 1950s | 0 | 138 |
| 1940s | 0 | 164 |
| 1930s | 0 | 77 |
| 1920s | 0 | 85 |
| 1910s | 0 | 87 |
| 1900s | 0 | 25 |
| 1890s | 0 | 14 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Eira or Elin more popular?
Eira is more popular than Elin today: about 116 US babies were given the name Eira in 2025, compared with 53 named Elin.
What is the difference between Eira and Elin?
Eira means Snow (Welsh origin), while Elin means Light (Welsh origin).
Which name is older, Eira or Elin?
In US records, Eira first appears in 1979 and Elin in 1893, so Elin has the longer recorded history.